A vicar in the Dorset village of Uplyme has apologised after the church magazine published poems targeting asylum seekers, benefit claimants, and overweight people. Reverend Nicky Davies said she was “truly sorry for any hurt caused” by the verses, written by regular contributor Diana Hunt.
The poems, titled “Broken Britain” and “Know it All”, appeared in the March and April editions of the Parish News. They included lines about “boat loads of illegals flooding to our shores” and “the great big fat ones who say they can’t afford to eat”. The publication prompted complaints from readers, leading editor Robin Hodges to apologise and accept full responsibility.
In the May edition, Rev Davies distanced the church from the poems, stating that the church is “dedicated to caring for the marginalised” and aims to “foster compassion and understanding”. Mr Hodges also apologised, describing the inclusion as a “lapse in judgement”. He said neither the church nor the magazine aligns with any political party.
Ms Hunt later said the poems were meant to be tongue-in-cheek and did not represent her views. However, it was agreed that she would no longer submit poems to the magazine. Some residents defended the poems, calling critics “prissy wokes”, while others said such content had no place in a parish magazine.
